“Father Mathieu was right – true love cast out fear, replacing it with hope and faith.” It’s 1704 and sisters Genevieve and Aimee Gaillain escape religious oppression and intolerance in France by traveling to the New World. They have promised to marry a soldier in the territory of “Louisiane” as their price for freedom. Beth White’s “The Pelican Bride” tells the story of the two sisters and the other women who came across the ocean for a new life; the Native American tribes who are fighting for their own independence while being wooed by the French and British; two brothers – Tristan and Marc-Antoine Lanier, one formerly connected to the French Command, and one currently; and the French and Canadian soldiers trying to keep the British and Spanish at bay while developing this new land for King Louis the XIV. I don’t want to say much about the plot as it is full of twists and turns, love and hate, triumph and desperation, beauty and ugliness, godliness and lack thereof, and secrets – lots and lots of secrets. It seems almost every major character has some deep secret in their past. For those who love a good love story, they’ll really enjoy “The Pelican Bride.” And neither will those who love historical fiction, particularly Native American history, the history of our nation’s colonization and French history, be disappointed. This book is jam packed with historical information set in a fictional tale. Beth White also encourages us to look into the relationship between ourselves and our fellow man, no matter how “different” we may appear. We must seek the good in each other, and love one another as God loves us. For those not as interested in an historical representation, this book may get a little bogged down at times, especially trying to keep all the characters straight. Overall, this is a really great read. Four out of five stars. Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, provided this complimentary copy for my honest, unbiased review.

“Sometimes things can get hard – really, really hard – but your dedication and enthusiasm can keep you going. There are always moments in the race when you are tired and can’t move one more step. But you do, and you keep yourself going because there is a prize at the end. You keep running.” “We come to Kenya to climb a mountain.” And does Claire Diaz-Ortiz ever. A decision to travel around the world for a year with her friend, Lara, forever changes the lives of these two young women. They wrap up their voyage in Kenya, set to run in a marathon. While there, Claire and Lara get connected with the Imani Children’s Home, where they begin a running program for the children and meet Sammy, a young boy whose father is dead and mother has abandoned him. Claire and Sammy document their journey in “Hope Runs: An American Tourist, a Kenyan Boy, a Journey of Redemption.” It’s a heart-warming tale of love, determination, perseverance, hope, joy, overcoming trials and adversity, and so much more. Through her past experiences and her journey of meeting and loving these Kenyan orphans, Claire learns a valuable lesson in helping others – true change comes when the volunteer is transformed. We are reminded that when we help others, we are often getting so much more in return. Claire and Lara quickly fall in love with the precocious Sammy and, over time, develop a plan to bring him to the United States – as a scholarship student to the Maine Central Institute. They must learn how to “parent” a teen-ager as twentysomethings, and often from a distance. “Hope Runs” is such an uplifting story. It truly encourages us to reach out and help others, but to make sure you’ve truly helped yourself so that you can be a gift to others. Claire often struggles with not being just the “white savior” who comes and goes quickly in these children’s lives. It’s a great reminder to try to make a lasting impact in other’s lives. Sammy’s story, especially, encourages us to keep going, to never give up, to find the good in the bad. He writes “…Bad and painful moments come and go, and they are all part of the life we are called to live. The best thing we can do is deal with everything as well as possible.” “Hope Runs” is a raw and honest telling of a story of love and redemption. It’s truly an inspiration. Claire is an inspiration for standing up for those who need help. Sammy is an inspiration that no matter how bad things get, there is always a prize at the end of the race. Just keep running! Five stars out of five. Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, provided this complimentary copy for my honest, unbiased review.

For more information on the Hope Runs organization, founded by Claire and Lara, visit www.HopeRuns.org.